


Rediscovery

by Chisie



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Baihu Genji Shimada, Battle Couple, D&S Secret Santa Exchange, Domestic Bliss, F/M, Magic, Marriage Proposal, Not Beta Read
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:35:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21937564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chisie/pseuds/Chisie
Summary: Baihu routinely patrols the forest himself, as Lord and Guardian of the forest. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. It was just like every other day; until he felt a magic fluctuation in the outskirts of the forest.No creature born and living in the outskirts could wield magic.Alarmed and wary, he makes his way over. And it changes his life.
Relationships: Genji Shimada/Angela "Mercy" Ziegler
Kudos: 27





	1. stealingpotatoes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [stealingpotatoes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/stealingpotatoes/gifts), [Makishima](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Makishima/gifts).



> I had the honour of being the Secret Santa for two lovely people! @stealingpotatoes and @Makishima
> 
> Their gifts share the same universe from the combination of fantasy AU and Baihu Genji.  
> Chap 1 for stealingpotatoes  
> Chap 2 for Makishima

Piles of leaves crunched beneath his steps as he made his way through the forest. He weaved through the trees that were painted a warm auburn by autumn’s tasteful grace, bowing his head in acknowledgement at every creature that kneeled in acquiescence. Loyalty; trust. Respect; _protection_. They gave him their unyielding loyalty and sincere trust, and in return, he gave them the respect they deserved and a safe haven they could live in. 

“Lord Baihu, please take them.” A small creature really, oh so very small, but it was also one of the oldest. As one of the few sentient plant spirits that had actually managed to develop a conscience, it was a spirit of a couple of thousand years old that had taken root amongst the dense thickets, making the flower stand out amongst the now dead leaves. The Phoenix Bellflower, its five petals shimmering in a glimmering blue and violet hues had a golden pearl shining in its center—nectar beneficial to cleanse one’s bloodstream. 

Not to forget that it was rather sweet tasting too. 

The thousand-year-old Phoenix Bellflower lifted its two largest leaves and folded them inwards towards the pearl, and it shook itself lightly. 

Baihu watched in silence as the pearl rolled off its petal and onto the leaves with a crisp _ding,_ to which it held out towards him reverently. “Please.” 

He stepped forward, more dead leaves crunching underfoot. His four strong limbs exuded a lethal grace befitting the Guardian of the forest, his muscled figure was brimming with the sheer strength of a powerful force, yet as he opened his tiger’s maw, he picked up the pearl from the plant spirit using his teeth with such gentleness that even the Phoenix Bellflower was astonished. Carefully bringing the pearl into his mouth, Baihu stored the pearl away in the inside of his cheek, intending to eat it later when he could properly absorb all of its effects. 

“Thank you,” Baihu slightly bowed his head. 

The Phoenix Bellflower quickly and grandly returned the gesture, causing the plant to look a lot like it had wilted with how bent forward it was. 

“It was an honour, Lord Baihu.” 

The Phoenix Bellflower waved its leaves as the Lord and Guardian of the forest walked away with the relaxed flick of his tail. It continued watching until it could no longer see the regal black and white stripes of its lord and guardian, whose silver armour shone under the sunlight baring down upon them on a cloudless day, and the plant spirit chose to stand up straighter with pride at having conversed and gifted a gift to Baihu. 

Baihu continued roaming through the forest, walking the usual circuit in and around the area like he normally would on patrols when he felt a faint flicker of magic fluctuations near the edge. The edge was where the weakest creatures inhabited and they generally would not gain the ability of magic since the elemental waves were scarce. Curious and wary, he stealthily stalked in the direction of the fluctuations as neutral magic flowed into his limbs. His claws grew thicker, sharper, and his canines lengthened into large fangs. 

A hundred meters... 

Fifty meters... 

Ten meters. 

A faint halation hovered in the center of a small clearing amidst the tall cherrywood trees. It was dreadfully small, no bigger than the height of the Phoenix Bellflower from before, but he continued to stalk from afar. Even the lowest soldier could kill a general given the right circumstances and luck. 

Nothing changed after an incense stick burning of time except for the halation that seemed to grow denser. _Rebirth?_ The thought came to Baihu almost instantaneously once he made out a tiny silhouette in the middle. The shadowy figure wiggled and stretched its limbs, as though it was awakening from a slumber. 

_This isn’t_ _Zhuque_ _. The aura’s too... holy._ Baihu furrowed his eyebrows at the abnormal scene. He knew of Zhuque’s raging flames, of their insane ability to adhere to anything he desired—and Baihu hadn’t heard of the obnoxious phoenix going through a rebirth at all. 

_So, who’s this?_

Then he heard the softest moan. Startled at the silvery sound, Baihu warily went forward once the light began to fade and slowly drop to the ground blanketed by crisp leaves; away from the trees and away from his cover. An irrationality screamed at him in his mind, to return to the shadows and wait, but he couldn’t. He just _couldn’t._ The moan came again, this time louder and his ears perked at how... _feline_ it sounded. 

And now Baihu stood face to face with a small creature. Golden furred with tiny paws, such tiny, tiny paws that he’d only see on kittens—newborn, baby, _kittens._ It was the first time he ever saw a purely golden feline with not even a spot or a stripe and— _oh, it has such pretty eyes._

_Eyes that I’ve seen before._

Baihu stared down at the kitten. There was a hazy scene in his mind. 

_A memory of old, a scene of the past._

Baihu blinked at the little feline, who blinked large, innocent aqua eyes back at him. Lowering his front legs, he inched closer to the kitten, close enough to nuzzle it with his snout, close enough to inhale the honeyed scent in _her_ fur. _It_ was a _female._

“Who are you?” Baihu asked at the familiarity of her scent. Logical suspicions should have reared its ugly head but his instincts told him different: she’s safe, she won’t hurt you. 

The kitten blinked her eyes once more, stretching out her limbs to stare at the overgrown cat before her. “Isn’t it rude to ask for someone’s name before you give you yours?” A teasing tone. Unafraid of the big, old cat. 

A pleasant shudder ran across Baihu’s spine at her voice. Instead of straightening his spine to proudly declare himself, Baihu found himself lowering his guard to lie across the clearing on his belly. The magic fluctuations around him faded back into the dust particles in the air and his claws and canines retracted back to their original size. “I am the Lord and Guardian of this forest, name: Baihu.” 

The kitten mewled and scrunched up her nose. A sharp breath and suddenly, “ _Kushu!_ ” 

The sudden sneeze startled the oh so powerful guardian. “Are you cold?” Was it cause this kitten was small and didn’t have a thick enough fur for autumn? 

The kitten shook her head. She mewled again, padding closer to the warmth before her, and nuzzled her face into the indeed soft, thick fur of his paw thrice the size of herself. Baihu found himself grinning, amused at the clearly cold kitten. Lifting a paw, he raised his front limb high enough for the kitten to snuggle further in but she merely pouted in return. He followed its gaze to his chest, chortling at the hard amour covering his body. 

_Picky kitty. My paw is big enough to cover it anyway. Hahaha._

Baihu relaxed back onto the ground, allowing the kitten to slowly warm itself up but even after five minutes had passed, he could still feel the chill emanating from her body from his paw. His muscles tensed at the abrupt decline of magic fluctuations in her body. Laboured breathing filled the silence and Baihu hurriedly removed his paw to check on the kitten, finding his heart twisting and gutted at the pained expression on her delicate face. Her eyes were half-lidded, her breathing rapidly grew shorter. His gaze checked over her body because he was afraid of moving the child lest he caused whatever it was to worsen. No obvious injuries, no blood staining: just cold. Really, really cold. And then, she started sobbing. Her body jolted with each sob, murmured cries escaping her as small pearl of tears rolled down the corner of her eyes and straight down onto the ground. 

Then, he remembered the Phoenix Bellflower’s pearl. Crouching down to as small as he could be in front of the kitten, Baihu took the pearl hidden in his mouth with his tongue and carefully balanced it at the tip, stretching it out, so that he could gently drop it into her parted lips. An icy chill tickled the warmth on his tongue as his heart palpitated at the pleasant shudder at their contact. The golden pearl slipped in. 

~*~ 

_I never thought... I’d go like_ _this._ _I finally came back but..._

Strength was beginning to leave her body. She couldn’t move, she couldn’t talk. She could barely maintain the already-sparse amount of magic in her body and soon, she would crumble. Again. 

_Please leave, Little Hu. Please. I don’t want you to see this again._

The reluctance and despair wrecked at her body, the joy at seeing him again crushed and mercilessly stepped on, and it overflowed; overflowed from her heart and through her eyes. She could only pray her tears to deter him and push him away. 

_Leave, please_. 

Her sight began to blur, even his figure so close before her was hazy. She inwardly smiled to herself. 

_You look handsome, as always._

As she resigned herself to fate a second time, she felt something thick, hot and large, poke at her lips before a smooth, round object drop into her mouth. 

_The Phoenix Bellflower essence!_

She allowed the golden pearl to slip down her throat and into her stomach. Almost instantly, a sweet, fresh fragrance instantly permeated through her body as the nectar dissolved and travelled in her veins. Amongst the crimson streams began to shine a faint golden glow. Warmth pulsed in her blood, the two-thousand-year-old plant essence gentle and reinvigorating, and she blinked her eyes. Slow as they may be, but the haze was clearing from her sight—and she saw Baihu’s handsome mien once more. 

_The heavens didn’t forsake me this time?_

For a different reason this time, she found herself crying. The relief, the gratitude... 

_Thank you..._

“How are you feeling?” 

She blinked the tears away and gazed into his concerned eyes. He wouldn’t have left. She should have known. 

He’s her Xiao Hu, the kind, protective guardian that stole her heart in her last life. 

But she couldn’t find herself to answer his question. She wanted to get better faster, heal faster, grow faster. Let her stay by his side, let her be his angel again. Please. 

“Xiao Hu.” 

And the name slipped out of her lips before she could register the act. Shock splashed across his face and it slowly fell into hesitant acceptance and realisation. Then, she saw relief. Relief and unshed tears brimming in his strong, black eyes, and she found herself crying again at his next words. He never forgot. He never gave up hope. He waited and waited and waited. And— 

_Please let her/me stay this time._

They had thought the same thought simultaneously. 

Baihu stretched his neck out to tenderly lick her tears away. He licked them all away even as she continued to pour out more tears, and he buried his nose into her fur. Into her scent. Into her _warmth._ Yes, that’s why it was all so familiar. That’s why she felt so safe. That’s why... He closed his eyes and relished in the relief and love that was overcoming his senses. His voice, so utterly soft sounded so utterly melancholic in her ears, and she cradled his nose the best that she could with her short limbs, as he breathed out his love into her warmth. 

“Angela... Angie. You’re back.” 


	2. Makishima

“Angela? Angie,”  Baihu called out her name in a sing-song voice as he padded through the hallway and into his room. The sun had already reached its zenith, its warmth only making the winter chill bearable. He gave the wooden door a knock and two, and pushed it open, only to smile at the endearing sight before him. 

Slender arms were stretched above her head as she yawned. Her beautiful golden hair, shimmering under the afternoon sun was bright and adorably messy. A muscled hand caressed her unruly locks, startling her from the sleep-filled haze. Bright azure eyes focused onto the handsome face grinning before her and she demurely leaned into the calloused palm, rubbing her cheek lightly against it. “Good morning, Little Hu.” A soft voice, just like the feathers he’s caressed before.

Warm lips pressed against her forehead, lingering for another second and two before  Baihu pulled away ever so slightly, his breath kissing her skin. “Good morning, wife mine.”

Laughter bubbled out of her chest as she coquettishly peeked at him from the bottom of her lashes. “Since when was I your wife?”

Baihu chuckled and pressed more kisses onto her face, from the tip of her nose and her eyes and her cheeks, only to hover mere centimeters away from her mouth. “You’ve already said yes, wife mine. You’re not running away.”

Heat began to spread in her limbs, crawling up to her cheeks at the warmth fanning her lips. They were so close, so, _so_ _close_. It was just a little bit more, just a small tilt _up_ of her head and she’d meet those delicious lips. Tender pink like the first cherry blossom blooms in spring, soft and warm like his embraces; heavens, how she’d long for them. But _God_ , was he a _tease._

“I did?” Angela murmured back, drawing her tongue across her chapped lips in a slow,  _ oh so very slow _ , lick. There was upwards lift on the edge of her now-sleeked lips while she watched his playful gaze drop onto her mouth, the bright gleam in those dark orbs now darkening into a very familiar sight. She snaked her arms around his thick neck, drawing circles on his  armourless skin as she poked her tongue out to lightly trace it across  Baihu’s teasing lips. “I don’t remember a proposal, Little Hu. How can I be engaged to you if you never proposed to me?” 

She felt the growl tremor under her fingertips, her smirk widening at the strong arms tightly wounding around her body. His body was finely sculpted with muscles, each limb brimming with strength and  _ Heavens, he’s so much bigger than me _ . “Marry me.”

“That’s not much of a proposal, Little Hu,” Angela pouted. Her jutted out lips grazed the tip of his;  _ a bare touch. _

“Would you like a sunset picnic proposal or a candlelit dinner in the forest then, wife mine?”  Baihu dug the pads of his fingers into her hips as he murmured back, massaging the skin there as he used every ounce of his will to just  _ not pounce on her. _ Oh, he’d gladly inch closer to her, to give her that victory in pulling him in, to allow her that smug satisfaction that  _ she’s still got a tight leash on him despite all these years— _ but where’s the fun in that when he could dance with her like this?

“What if I choose none? Because they’re not romantic enough?” Angela challenged back, unmoving from her position as the warmth of that smallest touch of his lips travelled into her, pooling in her heart like the embers of a fireplace. Her eyelashes fluttered, so softly that it reminded him of her angel’s path in the sky; such grace, such elegance,  _ so angelic _ . 

“Then I'll just have to keep convincing you.”

Baihu’s lips stretched into a lopsided smirk. His tongue poked out to teasingly— _ intimately— _ lick across her bottom lip because  _ two can play at that game _ . Pride swelled in his chest at the delicious flush of red in her cheeks and he began to gently nibble on her lips. He rubbed circles on her hips with his thumbs, caressing the wide curves of her body, carefully shifting himself to hold her flushed against his chest. His legs folded around her amidst the mess of blankets and her hands had dropped to daintily hold his shoulders. So many years had passed ever since she experienced her rebirth back into this world, and not once did  Baihu ever leave her side in moments he could have. He stuck by her through the seasons, watched Life die and grow; felt the forest wither and flourish; delved into the magic of the land and governed it like the king and queen of nature. 

He nipped and sucked at her lip, chuckling when she pulled him back once he moved away. Her hands tugged at his robes; her lips pressed against his smiling ones in a greedy caress. She drank his warmth in breathless pants and sweet ministrations, and she felt the need to be closer to him, closer and closer. It wasn’t enough.  _ It wasn’t enough. _

Another growl vibrated in his chest when her fingers tugged at his hair and her long legs wrapped around his waist; her bottom comfortably settled in his lap. Their lips molded together, eager and hungry for more with every kiss and every bite. A whimper escaped her when he sharply pulled away, only to moan when his canines latched onto the crook of her bare neck, clamping down just hard enough to draw blood as he cupped the other side of her neck, pleasurably massaging it with a thumb while he licked and sucked at the wound. Electrifying tingles danced in her nerves and she hugged him closer, pushing all of herself against him in an almost animalistic need. 

His free hand crawled into her robe, the rough callouses a delightful touch against her supply skin, as the fingers traced and caressed every inch it could reach, drawing upon another moan from his lover,  _ his future wife. _

Angela was his. Only his. In their past lives, now and in the many future rebirths.

_ She’s mine. Always for our lifetimes.  _

“ _ Baihu _ ,” she breathed out. How she loved him; so, so much. 

_ His Angel. His kitten. _

He hummed to show he was listening as he nuzzled her neck, breathing in her honeyed scent tinged with the cool, minty tint from the Phoenix Bellflower’s essence. She pulled his face up, dropping sweet caresses of her lips upon his skin; every inch,  _ every scar,  _ she kissed them all. She knew every wound on his face and his body, every cut and burn that healed and left behind only a pale mark of his life. They spoke of his journey, through pain and suffering; they spoke of his courage, through the flames of war and hell; they spoke of his tenderness, of his acceptance and willingness to love. Always. She always loved him. It was only ever him—from the very moment their gazes locked. 

A feral glare, sharp and unyielding like the monarch he was; a gentle gaze, soft like the golden tinted wings folded behind her back. 

Two lifetimes of love and it never seemed enough.

“Angela...”

Bang!

“Lord! My Lord! We’re under attack!” A young patrolman threw the door open in a fluster of panic. His tanned face was pale, the long spear trembling in his hold. Then he yelped at the scene painted before his eyes, the silence heavy and sharper than any spear he’d fought with. Flushing red in utter embarrassed, he quickly backpedaled. “I-I’m sorry, my Lord! I’m sorry! B-B-But w-we're...” 

“How far out are they?”  Baihu’s voice was flat in a dark monotone, the anger suppressed deep within his heart. He knew his patrolman was only doing his job, but the young man was not disheveled, indicating that the enemy wasn’t within the immediate vicinity. Yet he was this flustered?

“They’re in the outer woods! The Snow Swift found them and immediately reported to us!” The patrolman could only steel his heart and stand at attention at  Baihu’s question. His gaze locked onto the ceiling, forced the feared respect to calm in the face of his Lord. 

“Were they identified?”

“There are two people! Two males, one burning blue on his head and one is an Immortal!”

Baihu had been relaxed and slumped against Angela, listening intently to every word of the report. He also made the mental note to improve the patrol’s standards in reporting because this was taking too long to report vital information in the shortest of time, when the patrolman finally reached what he actually wanted. 

Angela was unfazed when the muscles underneath her roaming fingers tensed. She tacitly removed herself from him. He was not her lover now, not the same gentle man that’d kiss her good morning and loved it when she spooned him from behind. Now, he was the Lord of the forest,  _ their Guardian. _

“Be careful.” She obediently returned his kiss with a small press of her own.

“Always, wife mine. Always.”

In one swift motion,  Baihu was up from the bed and donning his  armour , and she watched silently, tilting her head questioningly to the side when he turned around. He chuckled at the sight, seeing the shadow of the small, golden kitten doing that. 

“Come.”

Angela arched a brow.

“Battle with me.”

Angela smirked at him. “Is that a proposal?”

Baihu smirked back, settling his silver helmet on his hip. “They will be until you agree to marry me.”

Angela slinked out of bed; her laugher as clear like the morning birdsong. “It really isn’t romantic enough,” she teased before closing her eyes. She folded her hands across her chest and  Baihu knowingly stepped back to watch on proudly. 

The patrolman’s hesitant gaze fluttered between his Lord and soon-to-be wife, confused as to why he would actually ask her to join?

No one had known; that the lover of their Lord and Guardian, that Angela—the gentle, caring Lady of the forest—was actually the only disciple and inheritor of  Camael , the Archangel of strength, courage and war. 

The wintry chill pervading the room was expelled from the room as a golden halation began to pulse from within Angela. A heavenly force, one that demanded a worship to divinity, revolved around her like a protective barrier. The gale-like current brought her hair to dance in the air and the warm glow grew to fully encase her figure. The patrolman stared agape, the strength in his knees faltering as he felt the need to kneel.

White. A wide expanse of white filled half the room. Golden specks brushed across the coverts of the snow-white wings, to which expanded and solidified into shining gold  armour . The glow around her on the other hand shrank into a couple inches wide that hovered around her forehead, shattering into shimmering starlight and revealing the  armour covering her ears and neck, and a pair of soft green leaves nestled atop the crown of her head.

“Let’s go, my Lord.”

Baihu chuckled and put on his helmet. “I’ll always be your Little Hu.”

There was a quick peck on the cheek of his helmet and a caress on his metal. “Race you there,  _ Little Hu _ .”

~*~

Heavy footsteps raced across the winter plains. Bare clumps of trees whizzed by in a blur as they ran, making fast time to reach the center. A gust overhead forcefully halted the pair in their objective as a silhouette swooped down from the sky. A tall, burly man whose head was enveloped in an icy blue flame removed the hammer from his back as he locked gazes with the gentle smile on the Angel’s face. Next to him stood a slender man; a face as pale as the shadows of snow, in clothes of crimson that were a dangerously beautiful contrast to winter. 

“ Coldhardt , Jackie. We meet again.”

Coldhardt and Jackie the Immortal both jumped aside at the silhouette that had charged straight at them. A ditch was clawed across the thick snow and  Baihu straightened himself. He gave the two men a small wave of his hand.

Coldhardt , the bulky man with the hammer, chortled a bellyful of laughter and spoke with an accent. “Little Tiger! You’re energetic!”

“As do you, old man!”  Baihu easily countered.

“ Baihu , we’ve come again.” Jack, ‘Jackie’ the Immortal stepped forward with a wide grin splitting his face. His hands were bare of weapons but  Baihu knew better than the pair of dark red daggers were more than enough for the man.

Baihu tilted his head to the side similarly to how Angela did before. “I know. But I’m not alone.”

“You’ve brought a lady friend along? That’s cheating,” Jackie crossed his arms and scoffed.

“And having two of you against him isn’t?” Angela spoke up from behind, winking when the pair turned their attention onto her. In her hand was a long staff of the deepest golden and the inscription of wings finally clued them in.

“An Archangel? You’re acquainted with an Archangel, Little Tiger?”

“A disciple, actually,” Angela politely corrected.

Baihu simply shrugged his shoulders and bent his body into an offensive stance. Jackie instantly mirrored him; his hands hovering above the daggers strapped to his hips. “What can I say? My angel can pack quiet the punch?”

“With her staff?” Jackie raised an eyebrow.

“Oh,”  Baihu said in finality. “I bet you a week’s worth of food that you’re losing in three moves.”

“No way—”

Baihu rushed forward with a hand on the hilt of his sword, cutting the Immortal off, and Jackie quickly responded with expert unsheathing of his own blades, but the guardian continued to lunge past him. Confused and surprised, Jackie turned around with his daggers raised, only to see a field of gold and white covering his entire line of sight. Cold, hard metal slammed onto the side of his head, the head of the staff heavy and merciless in its attack. With a grunt, Jackie instinctively threw a dagger up at Angela as he tilted sideways, but the angel was swift in her response. She dug her foot into the ground and resolutely finished the swing, and spun on her hell as she then swung upwards with her staff. The base of the staff met the incoming blade with a crisp ding when the metals collided. In her turn, she swiped her hand across the underside of the staff’s wings and faced the Immortal who was already lunging towards her with his second dagger. The smile on her face widened. His crimson eyes narrowed.

They were only two meters apart. 

Angela raised her arm and pulled the trigger at point-blank range when Jackie’s inhuman speed brought him within a meter of her in the blink of an eye. The shot flew towards him with a clap of thunder, the light bullet bringing upon him a sense of ill foreboding.

“Shit!”

Jackie was forced to stop his momentum, ducking and rolling to the side as the light bullet flashed past him, but the wind that rushed in his face pulled his attention back to the front. All he saw last was the smile on her pink lips and heard her giggles echo in his ears before a sharp force pummeled onto the underside of his jaw, sending him faltering backwards and slumping onto the ground. Pain travelled along his nerves; shock clearly painted across his face. Pain. He was feeling  _ pain. _ Pain and shock; he couldn’t move, not a limb or a finger. He averted his gaze back onto the angel, seeing the golden glow fade from her fist and she released her  fingers . Angelic power— _ the _ _ absolute _ _ bane of his existence.  _

She gave him a wave of her hand, just like how  Baihu did before, and beat her wings once to bring herself up into the air and into the other fight.

Sensing the faint, familiar soft, warm magic fluctuations behind her, Baihu smirked beneath his helmet, side stepping Coldhardt’s violent downward swing of his hammer and he turned to face the burly man’s exposed back. Baihu’s knees bent, the right foot sliding back as he brandished his sword with a horizontal slice. With a battle cry, Coldhardt released the two-handed grip on his hammer and swung his arm back to meet the incoming blade. There was a click, followed by the whirring of mechanical sounds and a large shield formed on his forearm just in time to block Baihu’s attack. Sparks flew between metal against metal; and between the war-hardened generals. 

Baihu jumped back at the deadlock.  Coldhardt effortlessly picked up his hammer and charged towards the guardian , causing the latter to continuously  leap back.

“Why are you running, Little Tiger? That's not like you.”

“To fall back is also a strategy in war, general.” Baihu suddenly back-flipped after his toes touched the ground and Coldhardt caught the sight of a golden streak enlarging behind the guardian. Baihu lunged from his crouch just as an azure halation encased his figure. He felt the power surge in his body; his muscles brimming with more strength and agility than before. Despite being confused, Coldhardt steadied his footing on the ground and held his shield up in front of him. Baihu’s punch changed into a palm attack in that split second and he planted his hand right onto the shield to flip over it. He could feel the shield’s special freezing ability instantly taking effect but his sword was already poised high above his head as he let out a cry.

Coldhardt watched with wide eyes at the blade’s tip gradually growing in his sight, the despair settling in his bones, and he sighed. The sword flew right past his ear and Baihu nimbly landed on top of his shield. Removing his helmet and sheathing his weapon, the old general saw the guardian grinning just as the blue beam receded. He was no fool; he knew he hadn’t actually lost to Baihu today, but rather lost to the mysterious angel by his side. The beam had shot out from her staff when she was roughly fifteen meters away, and it was like the already powerful guardian gained a power boost.

“Who’s she?  I want to marry her,” came Jackie’s grunts when the stun effect wore off. 

“ I'm already a married woman,” Angela turned her nose up into the air with a huff while sauntering towards  Baihu .

“Married? To him?” Jackie asked incredulously.

“ Weren’t we engaged ?”  Baihu echoed in utter confusion.

Angela rolled her eyes , set a hand on her hip and planted her staff in the snow. “Yes.” 

“Wait, yes to being married or yes to being engaged?”

“Yes,” Angela grinned at  Baihu . 

“Is this  one of those trick questions where I'll never win?”

“Yes.”

“Wait, what?” Jackie cut in. “Are you married or not?”

“She’s mine,”  Baihu growled at the Immortal while he wrapped his arms possessively around Angela who  took hold of his helmet.  “ And I told you that you'll lose in three moves .”

Jackie  scoffed and rubbed  his jaw, the reminiscence of pain still tingling.  “Yeah, she’s damn good. You got lucky.”

Baihu was taken aback by the compliment and words of assent. Thoughts of his past—of her past _life—_ flashed in his mind and his grip tightened. Resting his chin on her head and pulling her in closer, he hummed in agreement. “Yeah, I am.”

Coldhardt and Jackie the Immortal  regrouped and looked at the couple. “We’ll win next time.”

Baihu smirked at their long -time rivals. “As it stands,  we have two wins up against you.”

Jackie glared and looked away when  Coldhardt placed a hand on his shoulder . “We’re leaving.”

“Don’t forget the week’s worth of food!”  Baihu reminded.

“Yeah, yeah.”

Baihu and Angela watched them leave until their figures disappeared into the forest ’s horizon. “What do you want to eat for tonight, wife mine?”

“ You’re taking this rather easy.” Angela tilted her head back to look at her lover.

“Of course, I would. I finally have you as my wife.”  Baihu pecked her forehead. “Even though I didn’t propose.”

Laughter bubbled out of her chest as she hugged the helmet tighter. Even though it was winter,  Baihu was enough to keep her —and their bed—w arm . “But you did ask!”

“I did?”

“Yes!”

“When?”

“Yes.”

“Angela,”  Baihu whined pitifully. “Stop confusing me.”

Angela grinned and twisted around to kiss his pouting lips.  “Yes.”

“…marry me.”

“…yes.”

“Dinner?”

“Hehe. Yes!”


End file.
